baby watching tv

Cheyenne - posted on 06/10/2010
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i read that its bad for a baby to watch tv. my 4 month old loves to watch blue's clues and dora or anything on nick jr. i hardly watch anything with bad words or sexual behvior when he is around. but i would like to know if its bad for him. he will sit in his swing and just watch tv and then he goes to sleep, so it helps out alot.

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Kim - posted on 06/12/2010

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Why is tv said to be bad for babies?

They will be visually stimulated and watch for a long time. Time they otherwise would be learning and discovering themselves. Their hands and how to manipulate them. The same for their feet and legs. This early they should be spending their awake times moving and discovering. This creates pathways in the brain from the responses they get from exercising their muscles. Of course they like looking at it. The colors and sounds are stimulating and designed to be that way.

Babies who watch tv are slower to develop in so many categories it is not worth the delay in sitting up unaided, crawling, walking, talking and socializing. It may make it easier for you, but at what cost to your child.

Your baby would rather look at your face while you talk and coo to them than at a screen. If your baby won't turn his gaze from the tv to you, then you already have a problem.

Rocking your baby to sleep while you sing or read a book to him is a much healthier choice. If the tv is on all day, how much time do you really interact with him when he is awake?

I have 3 kids, I know it is hard and you need a break every now and then. Go for a walk. Looking out of the stroller just as entertaining as tv with all the different sights and sounds. Play kid music and sing in the house. Make silly faces at him. Anything but the boob tube. You are setting yourself up for big problems later.

don't let people freak you out. nowadays everything is "bad" for your baby. as long as you're not plopping your baby in front of a tv for 18 hours he'll be just fine. and, actually, tv is very stimulating for babies... the colors and sounds. there's nothing wrong with it. there are so many other things to be concerned about.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement a few years ago that children under the age of two should not be exposed to TV (put that phrase in a search engine). There is some correlation linking early exposure to TV with ADD. The flicker rate on the TV can be especially hypnotic to babies (image changes every 3 seconds - look for it and you'll notice), they are so susceptible to input at this stage, that we are unsure WHAT it's going to do to their little brains. Better to be safe than sorry, I say!

"no tv before 2...may cause ADD" specialists and doctors are ALWAYS coming out with new ideas and theory's about things. remember when parents were taught to put baby on stomach to sleep? how about when doctors were teaching parents not to hold a baby too much in fear of spoiling? there was a time when doctors were prescribing cocaine and heroin to people. If we believed EVERYTHING we were told to do, 20 years from now we will be learning what we did was wrong.

I think that when it comes to our children, we, as parents have to do what feels right.

I think sticking your kid in front of the TV all day is wrong. But, letting him/her watch it in moderation is not that bad. We all grew up with TV and how many of us have/had ADD or other problems? My mothers generation also grew up with TV and they didn't seem to have an ADD epidemic.

So I either think that people are being mislabeled with ADD all the time. Or people are trying to put a blame on TV to scare us into getting our kids more active.

If you need to get something done and your baby is happy in front of the tv, or crying in a playpen I think TV is a better option. I know I would rather do the dishes knowing my 8 month old daughter is happy watching a cartoon. If I put her alone in her playpen with toys she screams the whole time, which just stresses her out. happy baby= happy me! She will watch about 20-30 mins a day of tv. (when I shower, make dinner and do the dishes)

I dont have a problem with it, as long as its not all the time. They just like the colors. My boyfriends son is 3 and he is ADDICTED to t.v. Like, we get him on weekends and instead of wanting to spend time with his daddy when we get home, he says, "can i watch cartoons?" He has a bedroom full of toys and he RARELY plays with them, Its really pathetic. but, i believe the reasons for that are that 1)when he was a baby my bf stayed home with him all the time and he sat on my bfs lap watching as my bf played video games. (horrible, right?) And also, at his moms she has 4 other kids plus her hubby has 2, so theres alot of kids so i know she dont always have time to spend with him all the time ya kno, so, t,v it is. But MY babe doesnt watch it all that much. He might glance and watch it sometimes during tummy time but thats about it.

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Chet - posted on 07/29/2014

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TV is not recommended for children under the age of 2. Using TV to put children to sleep isn't recommended at any age. Even TV in the background (the baby or toddler doesn't seem to be watching) is associated with slower language development.

t.v can be a fun way to interact with a child . the problem is that parents are leaving kids a lone in front of the screen to keep them busy but as a learning tool t.v can be great as long as it's a "guided" watching by an adultmy son loves kids show like "zeem zoom" on you tube and watching films with him is great it gives us stuff to talk about :)

My son started watching Tv when he was a few weeks old. He could watch it all day if I let him. It didn't matter what was on as long as it had color and noise. Now he is 11 years old, highly gifted, and a boy scout with his whole life planned out. Watching TV didn't hurt him. Actually he barely watches it anymore. There are a few shows he will watch, but not like he did when he was younger. As long as you don't sit him in front of the TV all day, he will be perfectly fine!

Don't believe any of this crap about babies being slow if they watch TV. My daughter was 10 minutes old and was looking over my moms shoulder at the TV watching Cartoon Network and yes we were at the hospital. She is now 14 months old and is doing things she shouldn't be doing till shes about 24 months or so. She is very smart and now she barely watches tv but she loves to have the noise (she loves the music from the High School Musical movies)She will go about her business till one of the songs come on then she will get up and dance and jump around and scream and laugh and play and ask mommy to dance with her. Then when the song is over she goes back to playing or we go back to what we were doing. There is nothing wrong with a little TV just don't sit them in front of it for 24 hours and they will be just fine!

I think moderation is the key. My little boy has been watching shows like the Wiggles from an early age and just turned 2 last week. He has been ahead of all his milestones including sitting up, crawling, walking and talking. He can count to 12, knows letters of the alphabet, talks in sentences, knows shapes, colours and many animals names. A lot of these studies are misleading and often include television just as a background noise. Every child is different and as a parent you can only do what you think is best for your family. My little boy has always watched programs that are age appropriate such as Playschool, Sesame Street, Wiggles and Brainy Baby. Additionally, I have read to him since he was born and we are always learning through play. However, I also use television and the internet as a learning tool. The digital media can be a fun way for them learn about colours, alphabet, counting and shapes. I think digital media can be a very positive experience for your child if used appropriately. That’s just my opinion.

my son loves to watch sports!! his great-grandmother actually got him stated with the celtics when she was babysitting him at 3 months :) i think it's great!!! he doesn't really know what he is watching but i thinks it's just the colors. he also likes to watch the thing on my itunes when i play music on the computer.

There is nothing wrong with it. We all grew up with TV and we don't all have ADD or issues. As long as it's not 24 hours a day I don't see the problem. Most of the words my son has learned has been from nick jr shows. He is 18 months old and talks back to the tv and answers the questions on the kids show. He learns from it just like he learns from everything else around him. It does help a stay at home mom have some time to breathe, they learn and everyone is happy! Just as long as you still take time in the day to let them run, read them a book and talk to them so TV is not their main learning tool.

my son is 5 mths old and he loves to watch tv, it has not slowed his development the least bit, he sits up by himself, coos and tries to talk he plays and scoots, i have a bouncy/jumper that has interactive toys on it and thats what he sits in when he is watching tv and half the time he would rather play with that, but the tv has definately not hurt him. i spend time with him and talk to him all day too while im cleaning and he is as normal as can be!

My son has been watching tv since he was 4 months old..I let him watch a few shows and then we read or play outside..as long as you don't use it as a baby sitter for the whole day then he will be fine..my son loves Curious george and PBS and loves Disney too..

My son is 3.5yrs old and is a very smart little boy. He loves watching Treehouse and has his faves like The Wiggles. Treehouse is on all the time even if just in the background while he is playing, reading etc. These shows are educational for the most part and as long as he/she is not plunked in front of the tv all day I don't see anything wrong with it. My 5 month old daughter already has her fave shows like Sesame Street.

I didn't read ALL the responses, but I know that TV for a child under 1 is bad. While a lot of babies do watch TV, and for the most part they are all just fine, I think the point here is your child's potential. While your kid will likely grow up just fine, you never know exactly what their potential is, so why do something that has been proven to delay them? Baby Einstein recently offered a full refund for all their DVD products because multiple studies showed that children who watched them were, for lack of a better word, and I know I'm gonna get hatemail for using this word, dumber than kids who didn't watch the DVDs. Why do something that you know will harm your child? Why not just have them on their playmat or playing with toys for half an hour while you get a shower or cook dinner? For me it's not worth the risk, I want my child to have a wonderful life, and for me that means making sure he becomes as smart and capable as possible.

its not the gact that he watches tv, its the lack of interaction that they don't develop. so what is the answer.....watch it with your baby and play along with your son sing if they sing clap when they clap that way you can have fun with him and that way the problem is solved.

I would say limit it as much as possible...I know that when you've tried everything else, it's not the end of the world to use it as a last resort, but they're development is so important during the first few years, and if they're in front of a screen, they might not develop as well intellectually...and like Joanna says, you could have a child "addicted" to it later...My 5 year old spends 2 hours or less per day watching anything--whether it's a show or a movie--and my 1 year old, it's 30 minutes or less...

Cheyenne - You opened up a forum - noone is judging you or saying your child is not reaching its milestones. It sounds like you wanted other Moms to agree with you so you dont feel so bad about what you are or are not doing.Television is unecessary especially at such a young age and it is used as a babysitter. I mean lets be honest here.....It is not healthy for a childs development to watch television - just take a minute and google as you will find MANY studies and findings to back up the other Moms.The purpose of Circle Of Moms is to talk with other Moms on various issues that we may have experienced at one time or another. Each Mom has an opinion and you can take it for just that an OPINION - try not to get offended - when you ask a question you may not always get a Mom that agrees with you - and that is the whole point of this forum......Take Care !!

I dont think its bad. To much TV like maybe over 8-10 hours a day yes, but to watch it to get him to fall asleep or just for some quiet time. I wish my son would watch some of TV once in a while he will watch the wiggles but he is easily distracted.

As long as you are also reading to him, playing with him, and offering other activities that stimulate him socially and intellectually, I don't see the harm in allowing him to watch T.V. (especially when it helps him nap.) The danger is (as with everything) in overuse, to the exclusion of all else.

My son has been interested in tv since a few months old. If his head was going to turn towards the tv i thought i might as well have something on that was going to be good for kids. Never anything that adults would watch. He is 11 months old now and loves mickey mouse and sesame street and i let him watch the tv when im cooking or need to get cleaning done. He sat up on his own by 5 months or before and walked at 8 months and babbles like crazy. He's very smart. I think the statistics are just that...who knows how they came up with what they did but I don't think other mothers need to be on here saying that because your kid watches tv you are a bad mom or that you dont spend enough time with them. I think this sight is where moms go for positive input and suggestions. Post up the statistics if you want but don't say things that are hurtful to other moms that are just looking for some answers to things they are worried about.

Obviously if you sit your kids in front of the TV and that's ALL they do all day, then that's going to cause problems. But I personally don't see the harm in letting them watch a little bit here and there.

My 6 month old LOVES the Wiggles and I let her watch some every day - I try to sit down with her too and we dance and sing together and she just loves the interaction.

I think that the whole "watching TV will slow their development" statement is taken out of context by a lot of people - obviously obviously OBVIOUSLY if they're watching TV ALL the time and that's ALL they do, then it may slow them down in certain areas of development. I mean, come on people, it's common sense - is it not?!

Growing up, my siblings and I were allowed to watch one hour of television a day, as long as we'd finished our homework first. We all turned out fine! I think you just need to be sensible about what and how much you let your kids watch - there are some brilliant docos and programmes that you can learn so much from, and there's also a lot of rubbish on the TV now. Set rules about what's acceptable and what's not, and stick to them.

There are always going to be people who have very strong opinions on the matter (for and against) - you just do what you think is right and nobody can argue with that.

you said it! i agree, my son is almost 15months has been walking since 8months and shocks the dr's with half the stuff he does. i've always had the tv on usually just for background noise, he loves any commercials with music and will start dancing. some cartoons are his down time, he'll relax with me and i enjoy the cuddle time. i wish some of these people would realize that every kid is different and keep their nasty opinions to themselves!

To Kim: In response to "Babies who watch tv are slower to develop in so many categories it is not worth the delay in sitting up unaided, crawling, walking, talking and socializing. It may make it easier for you, but at what cost to your child." I think this comment is very uninformed of you. Your comment sounds as if this is something that happens all the time. I believe that there does in fact need to be a balance and a parent shouldn't use the t.v. as a babysitter but the t.v. can in fact be a very useful tool. I have also had the t.v. on since my first night in the hospital with my daughter and I have always had it tuned to nothing but educational programs. My daughter is now 7 and a very stable child. She has no health issues whatsoever and is very mentally advanced. She picked up sarcasm at 2 years old and speaks very eloquently for her age. She never had any of the problems you described. I know plenty of children who have been developmentally delayed in one way or another and it had nothing to do with the t.v.

almost everyone does it no matter what they preach! baby einstien has saved my life and my little girl is more than ahead of where shes "suppose" to be your fine dont sweat it as long as your babys not watching 24/7 which im sure shes not if your asking advice and care!!!

My 2mth old sometimes watches it not because I put him in front of it but because the older two are watching it and it's on. I don't really have a problem w/ it cause he doesn't watch it all day or anything like that but it would be almost impossible for him not to be exposed sometimes since I have older children plus it does help to give me a break at time when i need to get something done. I say do what you think is best for your baby.

Yay TV.....lol! How else would I be able to cook dinner for 4 and use the restroom like a normal human being should? Give me my Nick Jr and Sprout anyday. You moms are GREAT and we are all doing what we feel is best and trying to balance it with what we can physically do. It's easier to put babies in a swing and do what needs to be done. BUT try that with a 3 year old and you will quickly realize......tv, tv, tv!

my son watches cartoons everymorning and hes just fine hes 13 months old and it hasnt effected anything in his development or anything i think its just they dont want the children o become addicted to the tv and just sit and watch tv and not be active thats what i assuming.

My son loves watching cartoons ,but i dont think it should be used all the time ,if your just doing all the time just for the heck of it then your son will bond with the tv more then you ,But if you need to clean or use the restroom or do something of importants then why not ? Trust me it is totally worth it to devote yourself and every bit of time with your son plus it helps you t understand what calms him down and what he likes when you are with him ,which will help you out as well:)

i am sorry but i think one of the reasons my son is so far ahead of children his age is he watches tv. we started him on the baby einstein videos at about three months. we would watch one a day and we do the same now. i also let him watch nick jr. which is for young children. it teaches them everything! i love it! he only watches two hours max a day, but he is so smart and says things off of the shows and tries to imitate the characters!

i disagree 100% with the people saying that television causes developmental delays. my son has watch television from about 3 months old...not much, but he watched it. in moderation i think that television is educational. my son is 18 months, he sat up unaided at 7 months, crawled at 8 months and walked at 15 months...he is therefore NOT developmentally behind just because he watches a bit of tv.

I agree with other moms who were quoting the APA's recommendation, but it doesn't mean that babies who watch tv will grow up to have something wrong with them. When my son was that old my husband and I watched tv a lot during the evening, but we usually had Oliver (my son) in his bouncy chair facing us and we would bounce him with our feet, so he was happy and we got to watch our shows and relax. It worked great this way and I didn't worry about my baby watching tv because he was only hearing it. I personally think that letting a baby watch tv by himself or to get him to go to sleep is not a great idea but if it works for you then do what you think is best. I know it's hard to always be with your baby, but when I had to take a shower he would be in his bouncy chair in the bathroom and when I was cooking in the kitchen he would be in his chair in there so I could see him and talk to him. A lot of times I would just lay him on his quilt on the floor with a mobile to look at and different toys to look at and play with while I got things done around the house. Babies love personal interaction, but you do need a break every now and then, just giving you some other ideas for getting it besides baby watching tv. Hope this was helpful!!

My kid is 7 months and she loves watch baby TV listen to the songs and when she gets borde she leave the TV and crow around the house so I think it's ok to watch TV because I can't play 24/7 with your kids.

It really is not necessary for a baby to watch TV usually they don't pay too much attention to it anyway. I personally don't allow my son to watch Tv and he is 5 months but there are relatives that are too lazy to talk and play with him that would rather just sit him in front of the Tv and say he likes it when I know he doesn't because I have the Tv on and he doesn't even watch it. Occasionally he will glance at it but then he focuses on something else. I usually enforce that he is not allowed to watch Tv and turn him away, eventually he will understand just as with anything else he is not supposed to do. Tv is not BAD but not reccommended for young children to watch. I've seen the affects of a child that has watched Tv from a baby, they are hyper, reinact the stupid stuff they see on Tv/ cartoons, depend on the Tv to eat, sleep, and entertain, and are very annoying I must say I do not want my son to be this way. I am not trying to be "nasty" just stating my opinion so sorry if anything offends you...

My eight month old son and I have cartoons on all day, but just for background noise. He hardly watches it, and is normally facing away from it entirely, but it just gives us a little bit of noise, and I know it's something that isn't rated above PG. There are certain shows that he will sit still for and watch the whole thing, like 'In The Night Garden', but more often than not, he just likes the noise of the cartoons.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says no tv before 1 and not more than 1 hr a day until 2, 2 hrs a day after that.I don't know how any mom gets a shower without the TV. I'm sure they do. I'm sure some mom somewhere has a great kid who doesn't watch any tv at all. But mine is not one of them. I think he started about 6 months, just while I showered, etc.One thing that is important is not just having the TV on all the time in the back ground. That's what my doc said. If you have it off most of the time, some tv just for him is ok. Also, they have linked the amount of time they watch tv to ADD and ADHD, so you do want to limit the time. I only let him watch a show or two a day until he was 1. Then I relaxed a little (probably too much). But if you balance it with going outside, singing, talking, reading, etc... then I think it would be just fine to watch blue's clues or dora.

My son is 9 months old and his inlaws are his all day child care. I like having someone who loves him care for him all day. But they ALWAYS have the TV on, and I have confronted them about it and so has my husband. The baby doesn't watch much of it, but it is on in the background and often quite loud. He doesn't really do any vocalization and I am starting to think it's because of the TV. Otherwise he's developing ahead or on track for everything else.

I have three kids, all three watched TV as babies, not all day but they did watch. They are fine developmentally, my youngest was pulling herself up to the couch by 6 months, my oldest was doing double digit addition at 6. Most things in moderation are fine. For example radiation is very bad for you but people get x-rays done every day, should we stop having x-rays done, no. Moderation is the key!!! If your son sat in front of the TV most of the day with little interaction from other people, yes I would say TV is very bad. If you turn on the TV so you can get a shower, nap, or basic house work done I would say you are human and those are basic needs. I'm sure you are a great mom, you would not be asking that question if you didn't care about your son. My oldest had colic very bad and would not sleep except when I put him in his swing with the Spanish channel on all night. Was it good for him, probably not, was it bad, no, I NEEDED sleep! As a mother you will inadvertently do or expose your kids to things you shouldn't but kids are resilient and they turn out fine. I'm sure your doing a great job. Just enjoy your son now and remember they don't stay little for very long, trust me. Love him and I'm sure he will turn out just fine.

no one is giving you "nasty" comments. you posted the conversation... people are just giving you information. there is no need to get defensive about it. as with anything, take what you want, and disregard the rest. you don't need to twist it to say people are being "nasty"... they are just trying to help. if you don't want the suggestions, don't post a question.

I have a 2 years old and a 1 year old, I have found myself using the tv to try entertain them when I need to do things. I found my 2 year old became very attached to the tv and didn't want to think about finding herself something to do. Now I have limited it to 1/2 hr in the morning as educational show, and then while my 1 year old naps for around an hour in the afternoon my 2 yr old gets a movie or 2 shows of basically fluff fun shows. I believe tvs are good just in moderation. I'm sure you will find a balance that suits you and your baby fine

Have to say im quite amazed that any baby will sit and watch tv ive never met one that was interested in the tv until they were over a year old anyway. Tvs are great babysitters while you need to get something done ironing etc but i wouldnt have them on all day. Only tv my kids liked a 1 year old was the tv adverts lol they didnt watch kids tv until they were about two ish.

My son is 10 months but I let him watch tv from the time he was 4 months. He has never sat in front of it for a whole show, he maily watches the music then crawls away when it stops. When he was younger, only IF Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or Handy Manny was on then I'd lay him on the carpet near the tv so he could see it and he'd focus and stay on his tummy for more then 15 seconds lol. I think it really helped him develop his tummy muscles. He started crawling at 6 1/2 months and from then has never stayed in one place for too long.

We do not have a highchair, reasons being... my husband and I moved from Scotland (I'm Canadian and he's South African but we both moved to and met each other in Scotland) to Norway for work. We didn't plan on having a baby here, we just decided to start trying and then here we are! We never knew if we were staying here or not and now at the end of the month we're moving back to Scotland so there was no point in buying one. Our son didn't sit until about 5 weeks ago either.

Anyways, so I sit on the couch and have him on my lap to feed him. It takes about 15-20 mins to feed him his solids and TV helps keep him from trying to jump off the couch while I'm feeding him!

TV can be a wonderful help when you need to use the loo, take a shower, cook, etc. It is on alot of the day but my son is so much more interested in everything else (literally) that he only looks at or towards the TV when there is music! Even then, if it lasts a long time he gets bored and crawls off. The only show he watches most or all of is In the night garden (UK show).